U.S. Senate debate live blog

The first major GOP debate is being held at the Hilton in downtown Austin. It is streaming at www.texaspolicy.com and features five candidates, left to right, former SMU running back Craig James, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, and funeral home director Glenn Addison.

8:30 p.m. - Addison gets question about audtting the Federal Reserve. Says “absolutely” and says he agrees with Ron Paul on the topic. James then asks, Addison, who owns funeral homes and cemeteries, to preside over funeral service if Addison outlives him.

8:10 p.m. – So far, no social issues on the agenda, other than the second question on immigration. Fiscal and economic questions have dominated the debate.

8:05 p.m. – Second round is questions from social media. Quetion is “would you support the repeal of the 17th amendment,” which changed the election of U.S. Senators from state legislatures to the people. Leppert says he is against the repeal, says it doesn’t make sense to take the power out of the voters’ hands.

7:55 p.m. – Brad Watson, of WFAA, asks Cruz what proof he has of Dewhurst’s support of an income tax, Cruz reads two quotes from the Associated Press and the Wall Street Journal. Dewhurst responds by saying Cruz has given trial lawyers a bad name with those statements, and refutes them by saying he was speaking of the receipts tax for businesses instead of an income tax.

7:51 p.m. - Cruz responds to Dewhurst on cutting agencies, ”David Dewhurst talking about cutting spending is like listening to Charlie Sheen lecturing on sobriety.” He has mentioned Dewhurst in almost every response.

Dewhurst says there are many federal agencies and bills needed to be cut including “Obamacare, Dodd Franks and the EPA,” and talks highlights his record on balancing the Texas budget without raising taxes.

7:48 p.m. – Although Dewhurst is in the middle of the stage, questions have been spread out very equally among candidates.

7:38 p.m. – National defense questions starts with James, the bad guys are the Taliban and they want to come over here and hurt us.” Talks about the possible blockade of the Straits of Hormuz by Iran, says he won’t stand for it.

Jason Embry, of the Statesman, follows up by asking James if he knows the U.S. Secretary of Defense, James immediately turns the question around, “this is one of those ‘gotchca’ moments, it is unbelievable you would ask me that. You should be asking us what we believe,” which gets a rise out of the audience. Finishes the question correctly naming Leon Panetta, and his predecessor.

7:33 p.m. – Immigration question starts with Cruz, each candidate speaks on the issue. Addison’s first chance since opening comments, says, ”We are protecting borders of other countries and not our own, that has to change.”

7:28 p.m. – Opening statement from Addison included calling China an ”evil, thieving country” and saying “we have a bunch of wussy Republicans in the Senate who won’t do anything about it.” referring to “stolen” patents, rather large applause.

7:20 p.m. – Ted Cruz starts with welcoming Dewhurst to the debate, “I’m glad he could make it to this one, so far, he has missed 19 forums.” Then he mentions his appointment to Solicitor General by Attorney General Jim Abbott, who is in attendance, and says Abbott is a mentor and “the best Attorney General in all 50 states.”

7:18 p.m. – In opening statements, Craig James, who is a board member of one of the debate’s co-sponsors, says he supports the second amendment, “I’m a hunter, I have a pistol and a shotgun between my mattresses.”

Link to a 360 panorama of the audience before the debate, waiting for candidates to take the stage http://360.io/EVVEWh